The Incompetent Hero


Book Description

Echo 1, a soldier raised on the battlefield, fights with the aid of his combat AI and technologically advanced equipment. After a fierce battle, he finds himself in a new world without access to his equipment or his combat AI. He soon learns that he is one of the seven legendary heroes summoned to save humanity from a demon threat. At the same time, there is a struggle for power in the kingdom that summoned him. The king has been killed in battle, and his successor has yet to be chosen. The candidates for the crown are trying to undermine each other and prove their worth by saving the kingdom and the world with the strength of the summoned heroes. Now, armed only with a shield, he must navigate a world that views him as weak and incompetent while he finds a way to repair his combat AI before the next demon attack.




Incompetence


Book Description

Bad is the new good. In the not too distant future the European Union enacts its most far reaching human rights legislation ever. The incompetent have been persecuted for too long. After all it's not their fault they can't do it right, is it? So it is made illegal to sack or otherwise discriminate against anyone for being incompetent. And now a murder has been committed and our possibly incompetent detective must find out who the murderer is. As long as he can find directions to get him through the mean streets.




Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?


Book Description

Look around your office. Turn on the TV. Incompetent leadership is everywhere, and there's no denying that most of these leaders are men. In this timely and provocative book, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic asks two powerful questions: Why is it so easy for incompetent men to become leaders? And why is it so hard for competent people--especially competent women--to advance? Marshaling decades of rigorous research, Chamorro-Premuzic points out that although men make up a majority of leaders, they underperform when compared with female leaders. In fact, most organizations equate leadership potential with a handful of destructive personality traits, like overconfidence and narcissism. In other words, these traits may help someone get selected for a leadership role, but they backfire once the person has the job. When competent women--and men who don't fit the stereotype--are unfairly overlooked, we all suffer the consequences. The result is a deeply flawed system that rewards arrogance rather than humility, and loudness rather than wisdom. There is a better way. With clarity and verve, Chamorro-Premuzic shows us what it really takes to lead and how new systems and processes can help us put the right people in charge.




The Secrets of Character


Book Description

An insightful and actionable guide to creating a hero that readers will fall in love with, from the author of The Secrets of Story The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character – specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the reader’s precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres. Generously packed with examples from popular books and movies analyzed with engaging specificity, this expert guide reveals what makes audiences believe, care, and invest in great characters – and how to bring your own characters vividly to life.




The Wrath of a Mediocre Hero


Book Description

Kimberly Fox, despite her heroic-sounding name, is an astonishingly average girl who feels constantly undermined by the talents of her twin sister. When she is unwillingly dragged into a half-baked plan to save a world she'd never even heard of before, she is forced to come to terms that she can no longer settle for the "side-character" role.




The Duke's Man


Book Description

"Part historical novel, part critical history and biography, and part Dadaist pastiche, The Duke's man is ultimately an affectionate send-up of the excesses of genre fiction, using sections of Dumas' text as a springboard for Slavitt's own narrative arabesques."--Book cover




The Last Continent


Book Description

'Anything you do in the past changes the future. The tiniest little actions have huge consequences. You might tread on an ant now and it might entirely prevent someone from being born in the future.' Rincewind, inept wizard and reluctant hero, has found himself magically stranded on the Discworld's last continent. It's hot. It's dry. There was this thing once called The Wet, which no one believes in any more. Practically everything that's not poisonous is venomous. But it's the best bloody place in the world, all right? And in a few days, it will die. The only thing standing between the last continent and wind-blown doom is Rincewind, and he can't even spell wizard. Still . . . no worries, eh? 'A minor masterpiece. I laughed so much I fell from my armchair' Time Out 'A master storyteller' A. S. Byatt The Last Continent is the sixth book in the Wizards series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.




Bret Easton Ellis's Controversial Fiction


Book Description

Both literary author and celebrity, Bret Easton Ellis represents a type of contemporary writer who draws from both high and the low culture, using popular culture references, styles and subject matters in a literary fiction that goes beyond mere entertainment. His fiction, arousing the interest of the academia, mass media and general public, has fuelled heated controversy over his work. This controversy has often prevented serious analysis of his fiction, and this book is the first monograph to fill in this gap by offering a comprehensive textual and contextual analysis of his most important works up to the latest novel Imperial Bedrooms. Offering a study of the reception of each novel, the influence of popular, mass and consumer culture in them, and the analysis of their literary style, it takes into account the controversies surrounding the novels and the changes produced in the shifty terrain of the literary marketplace. It offers anyone studying contemporary American fiction a thorough and unique analysis of Ellis's work and his own place in the literary and cultural panorama.




CROWD PSYCHOLOGY: Understanding the Phenomenon and Its Causes (10 Books in One Volume)


Book Description

In 'CROWD PSYCHOLOGY: Understanding the Phenomenon and Its Causes (10 Books in One Volume),' a curated anthology of pivotal texts by some of the most influential minds in sociology and psychology, the reader is invited to explore the nuanced and intricate landscape of crowd behavior and its impact on society. This collection spans a diverse array of literary styles and theoretical viewpoints, offering a comprehensive exploration into the psychological and sociological dynamics that shape mass movements. From the foundational theories of Freud to the sociopolitical analyses of Lippmann, each work contributes to a multifaceted understanding of crowd psychology, standing as testament to the complexity of human behavior in collective contexts. The contributing authors, including pioneers such as Sigmund Freud, Gustave Le Bon, and William McDougall, come from a broad spectrum of disciplinary backgrounds, yet all converge on the critical study of group dynamics and collective behavior. The historical and cultural breadth represented in this collection reflects the evolution of crowd psychology theory from its inception in the late 19th century through the 20th century, offering insights into the factors driving mass movements, propaganda, and social control. Their collective works illuminate the intersections of psychology, sociology, and anthropology, capturing a critical period in the development of social sciences. 'CROWD PSYCHOLOGY: Understanding the Phenomenon and Its Causes' is an indispensable resource for scholars, students, and anyone keen to delve into the complexities of human nature and collective behavior. This anthology not only lays the groundwork for understanding the psychological underpinnings of group dynamics but also invites a deeper contemplation of the forces that unite and divide societies. Through its comprehensive coverage and the diverse perspectives of its authors, this collection fosters a rich dialogue on the interplay between individual and collective identities, offering a unique opportunity to engage with the seminal theories that continue to shape discussions on crowd psychology today.




Neo-Noir


Book Description

Neo-noir knows its past. It knows the rules of the game – and how to break them. From Point Blank (1998) to Oldboy (2003), from Get Carter (2000) to 36 Quai des Orfèvres (2004), from Catherine Tramell to Max Payne, neo-noir is a transnational global phenomenon. This wide-ranging collection maps out the terrain, combining genre, stylistic and textual analysis with Marxist, feminist, psychoanalytic and industrial approaches. Essays discuss works from the US, UK, France, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and New Zealand; key figures, such as David Lynch, the Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino and Sharon Stone; major conventions, such as the femme fatale, paranoia, anxiety, the city and the threat to the self; and the use of sound and colour.